Building floor



April 1, 1930. G. A. WRIGHT 1,752,583

BUILDING FLOOR Filed Jan s, 1928 4 BY WITNESL-IT V x Z W/MJ A TTU/P EYE"Patented Apr. 1, 1930 PATENT OFFICE sermon A. wnrcirr, or SYRACUSE, NEWYORK IBUiLDING FLOOR A ppli'cation'flled January 3, 1928. Serial No.244,194.

. This invention relates to a composition flooring and to the method ofmaking the same in which the base or sub-flooring layer is made ofconcrete adapted to receive a superposed layer of conventional woodflooring or equivalent material. 7 i

In the constructionof flooring of this type it'is desirable to finishthe upper surface of the concrete base in a substantially flat plane andto bringithe superposed Wood flooring into direct contact with saidsurface to avoid the formation of intervening spaces which are alwaysobjectionable from a sanitary point of view, and also as an extra firehazard by reason of the liability of breeding of vermin oraccumulation'of refuse therein, and also the liability of fire drafts incase of combustion of inflammable materials in the building. 7

The main object, therefore, of the present invention is to obviate thesedifliculties by providing means whereby the superposed wooden floor or.other layer may be conveniently and expeditiously secured in place andagainst the upper surface of the concrete base without liabilityofsplitting or otherwise in juring thesuperposed layer, and at the sametime avoiding the objectionable spaces between the surface layer andconcrete.

Another object is to produce a lighter, stron er and more durable floorconstruction of this type than has heretofore'been practised and "at thesame time to avoid the transferof moisture from the concrete to thewood, and thereby toreduce to aminimum the liahility of decay of'thewooden portions of the flooring.

A further object is to construct the concrete base in sectiong'some"ofewhich are preformed and hardened before being placed in position,-and provided with means whmeby the remainingsectionsmay be molded in aplastic "state upon and between. the preformed sections in such manneras to form practically a homogeneous structure when the molded sectionsbecome set or hardened.

:Other objects andtuses relating tospecific I parts of the floorconstruction will be brought out in flrelfollowing description.

Isa-a drawingsblocks and thereby to form a substantially homogeneousbase, thelower and upper surfaces of the beams being finishedsubstantially flush or coincident with the corresponding surfaces of theblocks.

The blocks 1 are made in suitable conventional sizes most convenient forhandling and are identical V in construction so that they may be formedor cast in one and the same mold, and then allowed to set, harden andcure before being installed in the floor- 1ng.

Each block is mainly rectangular in form and elongated in one directionso that its bottom and top sides, and also its opposite lengthwisesides, are substantially straight and parallel. so

The main body of the block is hollow to reduce its weight and asillustratedis provided with lengthwise chambers -3- extending from endto end thereof and separated by an intervening partition for reinforcingpurposes.

The bottom of the block is substantially flat and provided withapertures L extending therethrough and communicating with the chambers3- for ventilating purposes if desired, or to form outlets forelectricand other conduits which may be extended into or through the chambers-3-for concealing the same.

The top wall of each block is provided with a central lengthwise channel5 and opposite lengthwise rabbets 6 along the corresponding corners andin equally spaced relation to the channel 5-- to form intervening.lengthwise ribs '7'', the channels -'5 109 and rabbets 6 beingsubstantially rectangular in cross-section and of approxi mately thesame depth for purposes presently described.

The opposite sides of each block are provided with similar lengthwisegrooves 8- extending from end to end thereof substantially midwaybetween the lower and upper faces thereof to receive corresponding ribson the adjacent sides of the beams 2 when the latter are molded betweenor against the side edges of the blocks in a manner hereinafterdescribed.

During the molding of the blocks -1- the opposite end edges thereof areformed with longitudinal grooves -9- near the bottom thereof forreceiving one edge of a metal reinforcing bar 10 which, when the blocksare assembled in the base, serves to connect and partially support theblocks in the same horizontal plane, and also serves as a means forreceiving and supporting suitable reinforcing rods 11 which areincorporated in the beam sections 2- in a manner hereu inafterdescribed. a

The blocks 1 are preferably made of mixture of higlrgrade cement, sandand a relatively large percentage of clean cinders to form what is nowknown as cinder blocks which are of considerably less weight than theordinary cement blocks of the same construction and are readilypenetrable by nails and equivalent fasteners.

When it is desired to use the blocks for constructing the concrete baseof the floor they are placed in position upon temporary forms orsupports -A-, indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1, in transverselyspaced parallel relation so as to rest in the same horizontal plane,after which the reinforcing rods -1- are placed in the grooves in theends of the blocks to not only tie the blocks together but also to entersimilar grooves in the adjacent ends of other blocks which may besimilarly installed to form continuations of those already installed.

The reinforcing rods 11- forthe beams v consisting of a mixture ofhigh-grade cement,

sand and preferably a large percentage of clean einders or othersuitable ingredients in a plastic or liquid state, is poured orotherwise placed in the intervening spaces between the blocks toentirely fill the same including the of not only supporting itself overlarge areas P but is adapted to receive and support relatively heavyloads, after the temporary supports -A are removed and the permanentsupports are installed.

\Vhen the moisture from the concrete beams v and the previously castblocks is substantially removed by evaporation, the base is ready toreceive any suitable superposed flooring such as the conventional woodflooring 12-.

In order to facilitate the securement of the superposed flooring 12 inoperative position without liability of splitting or otherwise injuringsaid floor, suitable strips -13-- of wood or equivalent material capableof receiving nails are placed within the channels 5 and are fastened tothe bottom of said channels by nails -l4- or equivalent fastening means.

These strips -13 may extend the entire lengths of several of the blocksacross the adjacent ends thereof and are of approximately the samecross-sectional form and size as the channels to fit reasonably closetherein without friction with the side walls thereof so that the uppersurfaces of the strips will be substantially flush or coincident withthe upper surface of the adjacent portions of the block 1 and beams 2.

When the strips -13- are secured in their respective grooves 5, theflooring ]2-- may be laid in the usual manner upon the upper surface ofthe concrete base, and nailed or otherwise secured in any well-knownmanner to the wooden strips 13 thereby firmly securing the superposedflooring to said base.

It is evident, however, that any other superposed covering may be placedupon the upper surface of the concrete base and Similarly nailed orotherwise secured to the strips 13 and that the flooring 12 may becovered with any suitable material without departing from the spirit ofthis invention.

The process of constructing this flooring, briefly stated, consists insupporting the preformed channeled block l in a horizontal plane and inuniformly spaced parallel relation, then pouring or otherwise filling inthe spaces with plastic or liquid concrete, and finishing off the uppersurface of the same even with the upper surfaces of the adjacentportions of the blocks to form the beams 2-.

These beams, which are molded in the spaces between the blocks after thelatter are placed in operative position, are then allowed to set andthoroughly dry after which the strips -13 are secured in theirrespective channels 5. The superposed flooring 12- is then placed inoperative position directly upon the flat upper surfaces of the concretebase and strips 13- and nailed or otherwise secured to said strips thuscompleting the floor structure, it being understood that when thepermanent supports are placed in operative position under the floorstructure the forms -A may be removed.

It is also evident that although the concrete blocks -1 may berelatively short as compared with the length of the floor and arrangedend to end in alinement, the concrete beams may be made continuousacross the end joints of the blocks thereby binding the latter togetherand forming therewith a substantially homogeneous concrete floor basecapable of supporting heavy loads in addition to its own weight overextensive areas which are otherwise unsupported.

It is also to be understood that the reinforcing bars 1- and 11- assistin taking the tensile stresses and converting them into compressionresistance due to the peculiar overlap and interlock connections betweenthe beams and blocks.

What I claim is 1. In a composite flooring, a substantially rectangularconcrete block elongated in one direction and having a centrallengthwise channel in its upper side for receiving a nailing strip, theopposite ends of said block be ing provided with transverse groovestherein in a plane some distance below the bottom of the channel forreceiving reinforcing bars.

2. In a composite flooring, a substantially rectangular concrete blockelongated in one direction and having its upper longitudinal cornersrabbeted from end to end and its intermediate portion provided with alengthwise channel parallel with the rabbets, said block having interiorlengthwise chambers extending laterally under portions of the channeland rabbets, and a partition directly under the channel and separatingsaid chambers.

3. In a composite flooring, a hollow rectangular concrete blockelongated in one direction and having its upper longitudinal cornersrabbeted from end to end and its intermediate portion provided with alengthwise channel parallel with the rabbets, said rabbets and channelbeing of substantially the same vertical depth, said block having alengthwise partition directly under the channel dividing the interior ofthe block into separate chambers, said chambers having vent openings inthe bottoms thereof.

4. In a concrete flooring, similar hollow concrete blocks elongated inone direction and arranged in parallel spaced relation transversely inthe same horizontal plane,

said blocks having their adjacent upper corners rabbeted from end toend, said blocks having their opposite ends provided with transversegrooves near the bottoms therein, reinforcing members seated in saidgrooves and extending across the intervening space between the blocks,reinforcing rods extending lengthwise of and within said space andhaving their opposite ends resting upon the portions of the reinforcingmembers extending across said space, and a T beam filling the spacebetween the blocks and having its top flanges seated in the adjacentrabbets, the lower portion of the beam being engaged with saidreinforcing rods.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day ofDecember, 1927.

, GORDON A. WRIGHT.

